Animation Delay for Layers/Shapes?

[xmp333]

Hi,

Let's say I have a scene with 2 layers called A and B. I want A to be animated and some time later, B starts its animation. As it stands, if I set B's position at a key frame it will start animating immediately. I've been able to get B to remain stable by copying frame 0 to the frame right before animation is to start, but this is cumbersome. Is there a better way of doing this?


Thanks

[heyvern]

That's the way. The only way. Unless I'm missing something in your description.

This is what I have started calling the Psychic Software Syndrome™ that many people have.

You expect the software to know when you want something to happen without telling it specifically.

If you want layer B to start moving AFTER layer A... uh... When? How does it know when this "mythical" moment occurs? How could it know?

You see? You expect it to read your mind... somehow... ESP. You have discovered on your own that you must tell it by placing a key frame that "holds" the movement until the proper time.

Layer B waits till a later frame to START moving. If you place the keyframe of where it moves TO... that is fine... but it still needs that starting key frame to start from.

Think of it this way... FRAME 0 IS A KEY FRAME! It is a key frame just like a key on frame 27 or 156... it just happens to be on frame 0 and you don't actually have to put one there. (some animation software lets you put keys on negative frames... this is a "preroll")

Think about it a little... it will eventually make sense.

I actually like this question... it makes me smile.

-vern

[jahnocli]

If you want to get into "timing functions" and the like, you need something like Flash...is this what you mean?

[xmp333]

That's the way. The only way. Unless I'm missing something in your description.

This is what I have started calling the Psychic Software Syndrome™ that many people have.

[...]
-vern

I didn't ask if the software could automatically detect when it started moving, I wanted to know if there was a better way of doing this, like setting an "initial frame" for a layer.

[xmp333]

If you want to get into "timing functions" and the like, you need something like Flash...is this what you mean?

Well, it's like different objects start moving at different times. So one object may start its animation, then after a certain amount of time/frames another object will start its animation and so forth.

Essentially, I'm looking for a better way of telling the system "for object X, do not start the animation sequence until Frame N" than copying object X's frame 0 image to frame N-1 to force a "fixed animation" up until that point.

Outside of the awkwardness of going this route, it also throws more objects in the timeline, which makes it harder to find the one I need.

[JCook]

Maybe you could make Layer B's animation as an Action, and then in the timeline, put no keyframes for Layer B, and at the right time assign the action. This might be a little more complicated than you need, though. I don't know what kind of animation is going on here. If both layers are doing the same thing, but at different times, then this might actually be a timesaver, because you could then assing each layer the same action, but at different times.

Jack

[heyvern]

How hard is it to put a key frame where you want the animation to start?

I must not understand what you are trying to do. Your second post looks just like the first one.

You want something to start later in the time line. The ONLY way to do that is to put a key frame there. Either using an action or just sticking it in there.

"for object X, do not start the animation sequence until Frame N" than copying object X's frame 0 image to frame N-1 to force a "fixed animation" up until that point.

How do you tell the software when to stop once you have said "do not start the animation sequence until Frame N"... that's fine you have a starting point... what about the ending point? You still need another "function" to make it stop.

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An action is exactly the same as what you already do in the time line. It is just "reusable" for that object. If your action only has one key frame you will have the exact same problem that the animation STARTS at frame 0 and completes at the point where the second key frame is.
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Motion in ALL animation software requires at a minimum 2 key frames. The starting key frame and the end key frame. If you don't touch frame 0 or don't have a key on frame 1 then you need that "hold" key to be at the start of the motion.

This is a universal concept. There is no way around it. It isn't cumbersome because... it is the only way. You have to have a start and a stop defined... if the program you use has action references then the action has two keyframes.

If the software has "scripting" or "expressions" and allows a programmatical control of starting one object's movement after x frames of another object... YOU STILL NEED TWO KEY FRAMES.

If the moving item doesn't start until frame 57 and ends at frame 94 then you need 2 key frames... at 57 and 94. There is no other way.

The reason I said I love this question is because...

I WENT THROUGH THE SAME THING YEARS AGO!

What you describe SEEMS logical... but... it isn't.

-vern